'u/r  see  /?  ewe  see 71  h/s  star  />/  tf/e  ,3 

■  ■■  » 

cr/st.  >//(t  (/re  eome  to  worship  him.' 


\ 


1 


THE 

THREE  HOLY  KINGS. 


“  For  we  have  seen  his  star  in  the  east ,  and  are 
come  to  worship  him.” 


WITH  PHOTOGRAPHIC  ILLUSTRATIONS. 


NEW  YORK: 

PUBLISHED  BY  HURD  AND.  HOUGHTON, 
459  Broome  Street. 

1868. 


- - - - - - f - ; _ , _ _ _  _  .  ..  ....  M  . 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1867,  by 
Hurd  and  Houghton, 

the  Clerk’s  Office  of  the  District  Court  for  the  Southern  District  of  New  York. 


RIVERSIDE,  CAMBRIDGE: 
STEREOTYPED  AND  PRINTED  BY 
H.  O.  HOUGHTON  AND  COMPANY. 


PREFATORY  NOTE. 


HE  substance  of  this  book  was  prepared  as  one  of  a  course 


X  of  familiar  biblical  lectures.  It  is  not  offered  in  its  present 
form  as  an  exhaustive  and  scholarly  treatise,  but  rather  as  a  simple 
grouping  together  of  fact,  opinion,  and  legend  respecting  the  sublime 
story  of  the  “  Wise  Men  of  the  East.” 

Contributions  to  sacred  literature  have  been,  for  the  most  part, 
either  profound  discussions  adapted  only  to  the  wants  of  scholars, 
or  simple  narratives  prepared  for  juvenile  minds.  Neither  of  these 
are  suited  to  the  taste  of  the  majority  of  adult  readers. 

It  has  seemed  therefore  to  the  author,  that  a  more  popular  method 
of  inculcating  information  respecting  Bible  topics  would  meet  with 
favor,  and,  with  the  blessing  of  God,  tend  to  create  a  more  general 
interest  in  the  Divine  Word. 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


PAGUS 

I.  JOURNEY  OF  THE  KINGS.  Copy  of  Bas-Relief.  Frontispiece. 


2.  CATHEDRAL  OF  COLOGNE  (when  completed.)  3 

3.  THE  DREAM  OF  THE  KINGS.  13 

4.  ADORATION . Bonifaccio.  19 

5.  THE  KINGS  APPROACHING  BETHLEHEM  Portaels.  23 

6.  ADORATION . Luino.  25 


THE 


THREE  HOLY  KINGS. 


AMONG  the  numberless  relics,  which  for 
centuries  have  been  the  pride  of  the  old 
city  of  Cologne,  none  are  accounted  of 
greater  dignity  or  worthy  of  more  ven¬ 
eration,  than  the  three  skulls,  enshrined 
in  her  Cathedral,  and  said  to  be  those  of  the  Magian 
Kings  or  “  Wise  Men,”  who,  led  by  the  star,  came 
from  the  East  to  pay  their  homage  to  the  Infant  Re¬ 
deemer. 

It  is  but  a  few  years  since  the  celebration  of  the 
seven  hundredth  anniversary  of  the  transfer  of  these 
remains  from  Milan,  and  the  interest  and  excitement 
that  then  ensued  have  been  seldom  equaled  in  the 
history  of  similar  events. 

The  city  was  crowded  with  pilgrims,  eager  for  ad¬ 
mission  within  the  Cathedral.  So  great  was  the  enthu¬ 
siasm,  that  those  who  were  able  to  press  through  the 
dense  throng,  and  arrive  at  the  shrine  containing  the 
sacred  relics,  deemed  themselves  most  fortunate,  and 
as  they  knelt,  devoutly  prayed  in  words  such  as  these : 


2 


THE  THREE  HOL  Y  KINGS. 


“  O  holy  three  kings,  Gaspar,  Melchior,  and  Balthazar, 
pray  for  us  now  and  in  the  hour  of  death.”  This 
prayer  was  also  printed  on  strips  of  paper  and  widely 
distributed  among  the  assembled  pilgrims ;  and  these 
slips  when,  as  in  some  instances,  as  a  mark  of  special 
favor,  rubbed  upon  the  skulls,  became  doubly  sacred 
to  the  possessors  as  charms  against  accident  and 
disease. 

Lest  it  excite  surprise  that  to  the  city  of  Cologne 
should  belong  the  honor  of  possessing  the  relics  of 
these  holy  kings,  we  would  explain,  that  its  present 
insignificant  appearance  betokens  but  little  of  its  for¬ 
mer  importance.  It  claims  a  Roman  origin,  and 
boasts  of  being  the  birthplace  of  Agrippina,  the 
mother  of  Nero.  Thence  Trajan  was  summoned  to 
the  throne  of  the  Caesars,  and  there  Clovis  declared 
king  of  the  Franks. 

Its  merchants  were  among  the  first  of  their  period, 
and  the  genius  of  its  architects  and  artists  was  ac¬ 
knowledged  by  all.  Its  scholastic  fame  attracted  stu¬ 
dents  from  every  land,  and  it  numbered  among  its  dis¬ 
tinguished  men  such  names  as  those  of  the  saintly 
Thomas  of  Aquinas  and  the  poetic  Petrarch. 

For  centuries  it  was  the  chief  city  of  Northern 
Europe,  enjoying  a  direct  trade  with  Italy,  and 
through  it  with  the  East.  As  it  increased  in  wealth 
and  might,  it  became  the  patron  of  the  Arts,  and  de¬ 
lighting  to  copy  the  customs  and  manners  of  the 
Imperial  City,  gained  the  title  of  the  “  Rome  of  the 
North.” 


THE  THREE  HOL  Y  KINGS. 


3 


As  years  rolled  on,  the  breath  of  time  blighted  its 
privileges  and  destroyed  its  prosperity,  until  now  it 
presents  but  little  of  its  former  grandeur,  save  in  its 
splendid  architectural  structures,  which,  though  hoary 
with  the  dust  of  ages,  still  delight  the  lover  of  the  sub¬ 
lime  and  beautiful. 

Most  prominent  among  them,  is  the  noble  Cathedral, 
which  has  become  the  mausoleum  of  these  sacred 
bones.  This  structure,  —  even  in  its  unfinished  state, 
the  purest  Gothic  monument  of  the  Middle  Ages,  — 
though  begun  in  the  thirteenth  century  and  continued 
at  intervals  up  to  the  present  time,  is  even  now  but 
a  fragment.  When  fully  completed,  it  will  cover  an 
area  of  five  hundred  feet  in  length  and  two  hundred 
and  thirty  feet  in  breadth.  Its  two  principal  towers 
are  to  have  an  altitude  of  five  hundred  feet,  though  so 
slowly  have  they  progressed,  that  the  top  of  one  of 
them,  at  hot  more  than  a  third  of  the  intended  height, 
is  surmounted  by  a  crane  similar  to  that  which  cen¬ 
turies  ago  was  employed  by  the  masons  to  elevate 
their  stone.  Shortly  after  the  original  crane  was  taken 
down,  the  city  was  visited  by  a  furious  thunder-storm, 
which  the  superstitious  inhabitants  connected  with  the 
removal  of  the  weather-worn  crane,  and  they  therefore 
insisted  that  it  should  be  replaced.  The  choir  only  is 
finished,  and  as  it  is  adorned  with  chapels,  columns, 
and  arches  of  rarest  workmanship,  and  enriched  with 
frescos,  exquisitely  stained  windows,  and  carved  stalls 
and  seats,  presents  an  almost  bewildering  spectacle.  • 

We  will  not,  however,  describe  at  length  these 


4 


THE  THREE  HOLY  KINGS. 


architectural  beauties,  but  give  our  attention  at  once 
to  a  small  chapel  near  the  high  altar,  which  con¬ 
tains  the  tomb  of  the  “  Three  Holy  Kings,”  '  toward 
whose  shrine  for  centuries  the  feet  of  so  many  devout 
pilgrims  have  turned. 

Their  remains  are  inclosed  in  a  case  of  silver  gilt, 
ornamented  with  small  arcades,  containing  figures  of 
apostles  and  prophets,  and  originally  adorned  only 
with  the  rarest  gems.  Most  of  these,  the  Romish  prel¬ 
ates  have,  from  time  to  time,  replaced  with  imitations, 
in  order  to  give  the  originals  as  relics  to  those  whom 
they  delighted  to  honor ;  yet  the  veritable  stones, 
cameos,  and  other  treasures  which  still  remain,  are 
said  to  be  now  worth  nearly  a  million  of  dollars.  If 
this  be  true,  some  idea  of  the  former  extravagant  rich¬ 
ness  of  this  sarcophagus  may  be  inferred. 

One  end  of  the  sepulchral  case  is  inclosed  with 
glass,  through  which  may  be  seen  the  three  ghastly 
skulls,  rendered  the  more  hideous  by  crowns  of  jewels, 
which  thus  become  a  startling  admonition  that  at  death 
riches  must  be  left  with  the  mortal  dust. 

Upon  these  skulls  are  inscribed  in  letters  of  rubies, 
the  names  “  Gaspar,”  Melchior,”  “  Balthazar,”  and 
these  are  the  titles  which  have  been  given  to  the 
“  Three  Kings  of  Cologne,”  declared  by  the  Romish 
Church  to  be  the  Magi.  How  highly  these  sacred 
relics  are  esteemed  by  the  Church,  and  how  scrupu¬ 
lously  they  are  guarded,  we  may  judge  from  the  fol¬ 
lowing  couplet  on  the  front  of  the  shrine  :  — 

“  Corpora  sanctorum  recubant  hie  terna  magorum, 

Ex  his  sublatum,  nihil  est,  alibive  locatum.” 


THE  THREE  HOL  Y  KINGS.  5 

“  Here  repose  the  bodies  of  the  three  holy  Magi 
From  which  nothing  has  been  taken  or  is  elsewhere  placed.” 

Here  the  questions  occur:  What  is  the  story  of 
these  kingly  remains ;  and  how  came  these  dry  bones 
to  find  this  resting-place  ? 

As  we  seek  to  answer  these  inquiries,  we  find  the 
truth  of  history  indissolubly  blended  with  the  romance 
of  legend.  We  are  like  one,  who,  while  seeking  the 
head-waters  of  some  tortuous  river,  is  tempted  from 
his  course  at  each  new  mile,  by  bays  and  creeks  and 
inflowing  currents. 

In  attempting  then  to  discover  how  these  royal 
bones  made  their  weary  journey  from  the  East  to  the 
borders  of  the  Rhine,  we  turn  first  to  history,  which 
tells  us  that  in  the  year  1162,  Frederic  I.  of  Germany 
(called  Barbarossa  or  the  Red-bearded),  having  laid 
siege  to  and  conquered  the  city  of  Milan  in  Italy, 
found  these  relics  in  the  church  of  St.  Eustorgio, 
and  presented  them  to  Rainaldo,  Archbishop  of  Co¬ 
logne. 

We  learn  further,  that  the  Emperor  Constantine,  at 
the  request  of  the  pious  Eustorgio,  whom  he  had  ap¬ 
pointed  Prefect  of  Milan,  permitted  their  transfer 
thither  from  Constantinople,  where  they  had  been 
first  enshrined. 

Here  history  leads  us  almost  unconsciously  into 
legend,  and  following  the  latter,  we  learn  that  when 
the  Wise  Men  had  paid  their  adoration  to  the  infant 
Jesus,  they  returned  to  their  own  country  and  devoted 
themselves  to  announcing  the  birth  in  Judea  of  a 


6 


THE  THREE  HOL  V  KINGS. 


mighty  Prince,  the  Son  of  God,  whose  advent  pro¬ 
claimed  “  peace  and  good-will  ”  to  the  whole  world. 

When  the  Apostles,  obedient  to  the  parting  com¬ 
mand  of  their  Divine  Master,  were  dispersed  into 
every  country  teaching  all  nations  and  baptizing  them, 
St.  Thomas,  whose  missionary  tour  extended  to  the 
Indies,  found  there  these  early  Evangelists,  and  not 
only  baptized  them,  but  also  instructed  them  more 
clearly  in  the  doctrines  of  the  Christian  faith. 

From  this  time  they  became  still  more  zealous  for 
the  truth,  until,  bearing  the  cross  to  the  remotest  East, 
they  fell  victims  to  the  barbarians  to  whom  they  had 
come  with  their  gracious  message. 

Thus,  in  the  language  of  another,  “  each  of  them 
received  in  return  for  the  earthly  crown  which  he 
had  cast  at  the  feet  of  the  Saviour,  the  heavenly  crown 
of  martyrdom  and  of  everlasting  life.” 

Long  years  afterward,  their  remains  were  discov¬ 
ered  by  the  pious  Helena,  the  mother  of  the  Emperor 
Constantine,  and  by  her  brought  to  Constantinople, 
from  whence,  as  we  have  already  seen,  they  were 
taken  to  Milan,  and  from  there  finally  found  a  resting- 
place  under  the  Gothic  arches  of  Cologne’s  noble  Ca¬ 
thedral. 

Thus  much  history  and  tradition  tell  us  respecting 
these  sacred  relics,  declared  by  the  Papal  Church  to 
be  the  bones  of  the  “  Wise  Men  of  the  East.” 

We  cannot,  however,  but  confess  to  some  incre¬ 
dulity  when  we  remember  that  in  the  same  city  of 
Cologne  a  church  has  been  erected  to  the  memory 


THE  THREE  HOL  Y  KINGS. 


7 


of  the  sainted  Ursula,  and  her  eleven  thousand  vir¬ 
gins,  who,  while  returning  to  Brittany  from  a  pious 
pilgrimage  to  Rome,  were  here  murdered  by  the 
wicked  Huns  for  refusing  to  break  their  vows  of 
chastity.  Added  to  the  improbability  of  the  story, 
the  fact  that  some  of  the  bones,  said  to  be  theirs, 
which  are  everywhere  exposed  throughout  the  walls 
and  pavement  of  the  church,  have  been  discovered 
to  be  those  of  sheep  and  other  animals,  leads  us 
to  conclude  that  relics  are  often  of  doubtful  authen¬ 
ticity. 

Yet  dubious  as  seems  this  traditional  account  of  the 
fortunes  of  the  three  kings,  it  is  about  all  that  can  be 
added  to  the  simple  words  of  St.  Matthew :  — 

“When  Jesus  was  born  in  Bethlehem  of  Judea,  in  the  days  of 
Herod  the  king,  behold,  there  came  wise  men  from  the  east  to 
Jerusalem,  saying,  Where  is  he  that  is  born  King  of  the  Jews  ?  for 
we  have  seen  his  star  in  the  east,  and  are  come  to  worship  him.” 

Here,  resting  upon  truth,  we  know  that,  those  who 
came  to  do  homage  to  the  infant  Saviour  were  Wise 
Men,  that  they  came  from  the  East,  and  that  they 
were  guided  by  a  star.  Three  questions  are  thus  sug¬ 
gested.  Who,  at  the  time  of  the  birth  of  our  Lord, 
were  known  as  “  Wise  Men  ”  ?  What  country  was 
called  the  “  East  ”  ?  What  was  the  star  which  proved 
their  heavenly  guide  ? 

In  explanation  of  the  first  of  these  inquiries,  we 
find  that  the  word  translated  “  Wise  Men  ”  in  Mat¬ 
thew’s  gospel,  is,  in  the  original  “  Magi  ”  a  Persian 
word,  which  is  explained  by  an  old  heathen  writer, 


8 


THE  THREE  HOL  Y  KINGS . 


who  says :  “  Among  the  Persians  the  lovers  of  wisdom 
and  servants  of  the  gods  are  called  Magi.” 

We  further  find  that  these  Magi  were  devoted  to 
the  study  of  philosophy,  both  natural  and  moral. 

From  the  latter,  they  elaborated  a  system  of  relig¬ 
ious  belief,  while  from  the  study  of  the  former,  they 
become  profoundly  versed  in  mechanics,  chemistry, 
and  particularly  astronomy.  Thus  accomplished,  their 
influence  increased,  until,  in  the  course  of  time,  they 
became  not  only  the  religious  leaders  of  the  people, 
but  also  the  advisers  of  the  throne. 

Throughout  a  large  portion  of  the  East,  kings  and 
rulers  were  frequently  of  the  order  of  the  Magi,  or  at 
least  chosen  and  instructed  by  them. 

As  time  wore  on,  their  religion  became  corrupted, 
and  astrology,  magic,  and  divination  were  ingrafted 
upon  their  system  of  belief.  These  abuses  became 
more  and  more  glaring  until  a  reformer  appeared. 

The  man  who  presumed  to  take  upon  himself  the 
task  of  reform  was  Zoroaster,  probably,  next  to  Mo¬ 
hammed,  the  most  successful  apostle  of  a  new  faith 
that  the  heathen  world  has  ever  known. 

There  is  much  of  tradition  mingled  with  the  story 
of  his  life,  but  we  will  give  it  as  it  is,  letting  due  allow¬ 
ance  be  made  for  the  oriental  love  of  romance.  Zo¬ 
roaster  cannot  be  called  an  originator,  as  his  creed 
was  only  a  renewing  and  purifying  of  the  old  ;  but 
to  know  his  life  and  teachings  is  to  understand  the 
Magian  system  of  belief,  of  which  he  was  the  highest 
exponent. 


THE  THREE  HOLY  KINGS. 


9 


A  legend  tells  us  that  Zoroaster  spent  twenty  years  of 
his  early  life  in  Judea  as  servant  of  a  prophet,  —  some 
say  of  Elijah,  others  of  Jeremiah,  Ezekiel,  or  Daniel, 
probably  choosing  these  names  from  the  fact  that  his 
creed  had  some  resemblance  to  the  early  Jewish  faith. 

After  the  return  of  Zoroaster  from  Judea  to  his  own 
country,  he  spent  a  long  time  in  seclusion,  inhabiting 
a  cave  ;  and  there  inspired,  as  he  insists,  by  God,  pre¬ 
pared  the  writings  illustrative  of  his  belief,  called  the 
“  Zendavesta  ”  or  “  Zend,”  which,  in  twelve  volumes, 
each  composed  of  an  entire  bullock’s  hide',  were  de¬ 
livered  to  the  Magi. 

These  writings  declared  the  Supreme  Being  to  be 
one  God,  independent  and  self-existing  from  all  eter¬ 
nity.  This  world,  however,  was  not  governed  by  him, 
as  its  affairs  were  said  to  be  conducted  by  two  prin¬ 
ciples,  one  of  good,  called  Ormuzd,  and  the  other  of 
evil,  by  the  name  of  Ahriman.  Light  was  the  type  of 
the  former,  and  darkness  of  the  latter.  Each  strove 
for  the  mastery,  Ormuzd  to  benefit  the  human  race, 
and  Ahriman  to  destroy.  Zoroaster  taught  men  to 
make  vows  and  offer  thanks  to  the  one,  and  to  avert 
by  sacrifice  the  wrath  of  the  other. 

Both  plants  and  animals  were  divided  into  two 
classes,  some  appertaining  to  the  good  principle,  and 
others  to  the  evil.  Ormuzd  made  six  gods  :  Benevo¬ 
lence,  Truth,  Justice,  Wisdom,  Wealth,  and  the  Con¬ 
scious  pleasure  of  doing  good ’  Whereupon  Ahriman 
made  as  many  to  oppose  them.  Ormuzd  then  made 
twenty-four  more,  and  put  them  in  an  egg-shell ;  but 


TO 


THE  THREE  HOT  Y  KINGS. 


Ahriman  made  the  same  number,  and,  breaking  the 
shell,  let  them  into  it,  whereby  the  evil  became  mixed 
with  the  good.  But  in  process  of  time,  Ahriman,  who 
brings  plagues  and  famine  by  his  evil  gods,  must  be 
destroyed,  and  this  earth  will  become  a  plain,  inhab¬ 
ited  by  one  happy  society  of  mankind  of  one  common 
speech,  a  race  neither  needing  food  nor  yielding  a 
shadow. 

Light  being  the  symbol  of  the  good  deity,  Zoroaster 
permitted  his  followers  to  continue  the  sacred  fire  in 
their  temples,  in  accordance  with  their  worship  under 
their  former  belief. 

When  worshiping  within  the  sacred  inclosures, 
they  turned  toward  the  blazing  altar;  but  when  in 
the  open  air,  they  prostrated  themselves  before  the 
majesty  of  the  sun  as  the  source  of  light.  There 
seems  to  have  been  much  that  was  good  among  the 
minor  teachings  of  the  prophet,  such  as  the  respect  to 
be  paid  to  parents  and  to  the  aged,  brotherly  love, 
kindness  to  animals,  and  the  like. 

His  fundamental  error,  however,  was,  that  while 
one  God  only  was  acknowledged  as  supreme,  here 
all  notice  of  him  stops,  and  adoration  and  thanksgiv¬ 
ing  were  paid  only  to  the  inferior  deity  of  Good.  It 
was  believed  that  man  was  exposed  to  the  influence 
of  the  evil  genius  and  continually  sinned.  For  such 
sins  expiation  must  be  made,  but  this  was  to  be  done 
by  works  of  charity  and  love.  Those  oppressed  with 
a  sense  of  sin,  finding  but  poor  relief  in  their  own 
exertions,  naturally  went  to-  the  priests  or  Magi,  and 


THE  THREE  HOL  Y  KINGS .  x  j 

these,  if  treated  liberally,  gave  the  desired  absolution. 
Thus  the  people  became  subject  to  the  priest,  and 
soon  came  to  worship  the  creature  more  than  the 
Creator.  To  illustrate  the  theory  of  Zoroaster  respect¬ 
ing  the  value  of  good  works  as  an  expiation  for  sin, 
we  will  cite  this  parable,  given  by  his  followers  :  “  It 

is  reported  of  Zerdusht  (another  name  for  Zoroaster), 
the  author  of  our  religion,  that  one  day  retiring  from 
God’s  presence,  he  beheld  a  man  plunged  in  Gehenna, 
his  right  foot,  however,  sticking  out.  Upon  inquiring 
into  the  reason  of  this,  he  was  told  that  this  man 
was  formerly  the  lord  of  thirty-three  cities,  but  that 
his  reign  was  marked  by  the  most  atrocious  cruelty 
and  oppression.  One  day,  however,  whilst  hunting, 
he  beheld  a  sheep,  caught  by  the  foot  in  a  thicket. 
Seeing  this,  a  new  impulse  seized  the  king,  and  he 
alighted  from  his  horse,  released  the  animal,  and  led 
it  to  a  pasture ;  and  for  this  one  act  of  tenderness 
and  compassion  his  foot  remained  free,  whilst  the  rest 
of  his  body,  for  his  heinous  crimes,  was  plunged  into 
the  woes  of  Gehenna.” 

Thus  we  have  essayed  to  give  some  idea  of  the 
Magian  system  of  belief,  as  it  was  undoubtedly  that 
of  the  Wise  Men  whose  story  we  are  considering. 
However,  as  we  know  that  even  in  the  most  corrupt 
periods  God  preserves  to  himself  a  seed,  we  may 
believe  that  these  men,  for  the  integrity  of  their  lives 
and  their  active  benevolence,  had  been  singled  out 
and  prepared  by  God  to  bring  the  testimony  of  the 
East  to  the  Incarnation  of  his  Son.  Perhaps  they 


12 


THE  THREE  HOLY  KINGS. 


may  have  cherished  longings  for  the  advent  of  a  holy 
being  who  should  deliver  the  world  from  the  bondage 
of  sin.  It  is  alleged  that  they  were  influenced  by  a 
prophecy  of  their  founder,  Zoroaster,  who  predicted 
that  in  the  latter  days  “A  mighty  one  and  a  Re¬ 
deemer  should  be,  and  that  a  star  should  herald  his 
coming.”  A  legend  speaks  of  a  company  of  Magi  as 
watching  for  the  appearance  of  this  star,  twelve  of  the 
holiest  of  them  being  ever  on  the  watch.  Their  post 
of  observation  was  a  lofty  rock  called  Mount  Victory, 
and  night  by  night  they  prepared  themselves  for  their 
vigils  by  prayer  and  ablution  in  pure  water.  At  last 
the  star  appeared,  and  in  it  the  form  of  a  young  child 
bearing  a  cross,  while  a  voice  coming  from  it  bade 
them  proceed  to  Judea. 

Doubtless  these  traditions  and  stories  respecting 
the  appearance  of  a  mighty  prince  in  Judea,  grew  out 
of  the  intercourse  that  occurred  between  the  Israelites 
and  the  more  eastern  nations.  The  Jews,  when  visit¬ 
ing  other  countries,  would  naturally  boast  of  the  great 
honor  to  be  conferred  upon  their  nation,  and  as  they 
took  with  them  their  Scriptures,  the  Messianic  proph¬ 
ecies  contained  therein  could  not  fail  to  attract  the 
attention  of  the  Magi,  when  inquiring  respecting 
their  religious  belief.  Then,  too,  much  respecting 
the  Messiah  would  be  learned  by  these  nations  dur¬ 
ing  the  time  in  which  they  held  the  Israelites  in 
captivity. 

We  know  that  when  at  Babylon,  Daniel  stood  high 
at  the  court  of  Nebuchadnezzar  and  ultimately  became 


THE  THREE  HOLY  KINGS. 


13 


chief  of  the  “  Magicians,  Soothsayers,  Astrologers,  and 
Chaldeans.”  Certain  writers  have  alleged  that  the 
prophecy  uttered  by  Balaam,  and  found  in  the  book 
of  Numbers,  that  “there  shall  come  a  Star  out  of 
Jacob,  and  a  Sceptre  shall  rise  out  of  Israel,”  had 
direct  reference  to  the  celestial  orb  which  guided  the 
pilgrimage  of  the  Wise  Men,  and  that  this  prophecy 
was  not  unknown  to  the  nations  to  which  the  Magi 
are  supposed  to  have  belonged. 

We  mention  these  things  to  show  how  these  Wise 
Men  may  have  become  familiar  with  the  Jewish  hopes 
and  longings  for  a  Messiah.  We  must,  however,  ac¬ 
knowledge  that  it  was  mainly  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord 
that  quickened  their  faith  and  inspired  them  to  watch 
for  the  first  radiant  beam  of  the  day-star,  which  was 
to  be  the  harbinger  of  “  peace  on  earth  and  good-will 
to  men.” 

Having  thus  spoken  of  the  order  of  the  Magi,  to 
which  these  Wise  Men  belonged,  before  proceeding  to 
consider  the  question  of  their  country,  we  will  refer  to 
what  tradition  tells  us  of  their  number,  names,  rank, 
and  the  date  of  their  journey.  When  Art  first  se¬ 
lected  the  Wise  Men  as  a  subject  for  her  pencil,  it  be¬ 
came  necessary  to  fix  their  number,  and  it  was  made 
three.  This  was  probably  owing  first,  to  the  fact  of 
the  threefold  division  of  the  race,  as  descended  from 
Noah ;  then,  as  corresponding  to  their  gifts,  each 
supposed  to  be  the  offering  of  one ;  and  lastly,  as  a 
symbol  of  the  Trinity.  Their  names  are  even  more 
doubtful  than  their  number.  Those  which  are  embla- 


THE  THREE  HOL  Y  KINGS. 


14 

zoned  in  jewels  upon  the  skulls  at  Cologne  —  Gaspar, 
Melchior,  and  Balthazar  —  are  the  ones  by  which  they 
are  generally  known ;  but  these  are  confessedly  the 
offspring  of  tradition,  and  were  given  them  at  a  late 
period  by  a  Western  writer.  Other  names  they  had, 
as  in  Greek,  Magdalat ,  Galgalat ,  and  Saracin ;  and  in 
Hebrew,  Apellius,  Amerius,  and  Damascus. 

As  to  their  rank,  while  it  is  said  that  it  was  not 
until  the  ninth  century  that  they  were  called  kings  yet 
it  is  probable  that  they  may  have  been  rulers  over 
petty  dominions,  as  their  ability  to  make  the  journey, 
and  the  munificence  of  their  offerings,  would  indicate 
wealth  and  position ;  and  as  we  have  already  seen, 
princes  and  kings  frequently  belonged  to  the  order 
of  the  Magi.  Moreover  they  seem  not  to  have  hes¬ 
itated  upon  their  arrival  at  Jerusalem  to  proceed  at 
once  into  the  royal  presence,  as  though  they  could  of 
right  claim  audience  of  King  Herod. 

The  time  of  their  appearance  has  provoked  much 
discussion,  some  fixing  it  a  few  days  after  the  Nativ¬ 
ity,  before  the  Presentation  in  the  Temple.  The  early 
Church  instituted  the  festival  of  the  Epiphany  or  the 
Manifestation,  called  also  “  Twelfth  Day,”  in  conse¬ 
quence  of  a  belief  that  the  Wise  Men  reached  the 
manger  of  Bethlehem  on  the  twelfth  day  after  Christ¬ 
mas,  or  the  6th  day  of  January.  Some  have  supposed 
that  the  adoration  of  the  Magi  took  place  several 
months  later  than  the  date  of  this  festival,  and  oth¬ 
ers  delay  it  even  one  or  two  years.  It. seems  most 
natural  to  follow  the  chronological  order  which  places 


THE  THREE  HOL  Y  KINGS. 


15 


the  visit  of  the  Wise  Men  immediately  after  the  Pres¬ 
entation  in  the  Temple,  perhaps  about  forty  days  af¬ 
ter  the  Nativity;  for  had  Herod’s  attention  been  thus 
directed  to  the  infant  Messiah,  previous  to  the  occasion 
when  his  parents  brought  the  child  to  Jerusalem  “  to 
do  for  him  after  the  manner  of  the  law,”  it  seems  im¬ 
probable  that  his  being  there  for  that  purpose,  would 
have  escaped  the  notice  of  the  anxious  monarch. 
Moreover  the  gift  offered  by  Mary  at  the  time  of  the 
Presentation,  doubtless  would  have  been  more  than 
the  pair  of  turtle  doves,  which  was  the  least  offering- 
allowed  by  the  law,  had  she  then  possessed  the  costly 
treasures,  brought  by  the  pilgrim  sages.  Against  the 
supposition  that  any  considerable  time  elapsed  be¬ 
tween  the  return  of  the  child  to  Bethlehem  and  the 
coming  of  the  Wise  Men,  stands  the  improbability 
that  Joseph  and  Mary  would  have  remained  amid 
the  discomforts  of  a  crowded  village,  any  longer  than 
the  prescribed  duties  of  the  Temple  demanded. 

Turning  now  to  the  second  of  the  proposed  ques¬ 
tions  we  meet  with  new  difficulties.  To  every  country 
east  of  Judea  has  been  assigned  the  honor  of  having 
been  the  home  of  the  Magi ;  to  Persia,  because  of  its 
being  the  chief  seat  of  the  Magian  religion  ;  to  Ara¬ 
bia,  because  the  Psalmist  has  said,  “  The  kings  of 
Sheba  and  Seba  shall  offer  gifts;”  and  to  the  Indies 
and  Ethiopia  for  less  obvious  reasons.  One  tradition 
would  have  it  that  the  Wise  Men  came  from  the  re¬ 
motest  East,  even  from  the  borders  of  the  ocean,  and 
that  two  years  were  required  for  their  journey.  This 


i6 


THE  THREE  HOL  Y  KINGS . 


of  course  would  imply  a  country  even  as  distant  as 
China.  The  favorite  theory  of  the  Papal  Church  has 
been,  that  they  were  each  representatives  of  separate 
countries,  and  the  diverse  character  of  their  gifts  is 
cited,  as  having  direct  reference  to  the  products  of 
different  lands.  This  would  seem  to  favor  the  belief 
of  the  early  Christians,  that  the  adoration  of  the  Wise 
Men  was  illustrative  of  the  universal  calling  of  the 
Gentiles ;  and  certainly  it  is  not  incredible  that  the 
same  God  who  led  them  on  their  journey,  should  have 
selected  them  from  different  lands  and  ordained  that 
ere  they  reached  the  borders  of  Judea  their  paths 
should  unite,  and  their  mission  become  one  ;  while, 
being  of  the  same  religious  order,  their  fellowship 
would  be  perfect  even  from  the  moment  of  meeting. 
The  fact  that  Persia  was  the  chief  seat  of  the  Magi, 
does  not  conflict  with  this  supposition,  as  we  know 
that  the  sect  had  its  adherents  widespread  among  all 
oriental  nations.  If,  however,  it  is  better  to  choose  one 
country  as  their  common  home,  Persia  is  to  be  pre¬ 
ferred  ;  for  in  that  country,  as  being  the  centre  of  their 
religious  system,  members  of  this  order  would  be  of 
a  purer  faith,  and  thus  more  susceptible  to  such  im¬ 
pressions  as  would  impel  them  to  make  the  holy  pil¬ 
grimage. 

We  come  finally  to  the  subject  of  the  star  which 
guided  them  and  illumined  their  way.  Some  assert 
it  to  have  been  one  of  the  planets;  others  a  fixed 
star ;  still  others  a  comet  or  some  celestial  phenome¬ 
non  visible  only  to  the  travellers.  The  most  elaborate 


THE  THREE  HOL  Y  KINGS. 


17 


theory  is  one  advanced  in  1604  by  Kepler,  the  famous 
German  astronomer,  who,  observing  the  remarkable 
conjunction  in  that  year  of  Jupiter  and  Saturn,  con¬ 
ceived  the  idea  that  a  like  occurrence  formed  the  celes¬ 
tial  guide  of.  the  Magi.  By  careful  calculations  he  dis¬ 
covered  that  about  the  time  of  the  birth  of  our  Lord 
there  occurred  a  similar  conjunction  of  these  two  plan¬ 
ets  together  with  Mars.  Having  also  found  that  they 
came  together  in  the  constellation  Pisces,  he  was  fur¬ 
ther  confirmed  in  his  theory  from  the  fact  that  Judea 
was  called  by  Eastern  nations  the  “  fish  land.”  This 
explanation,  though  ingenious,  is  open  to  the  same  ob¬ 
jections,  which  may  be  offered  to  the  theory  that  the 
star  of  the  Magi  is  to  be  identified  with  any  of  the 
ordinary  heavenly  bodies  ;  that,  if  so,  it  could  not  have 
gone  before  the  Wise  Men,  as  it  is  said  to  have  done. 
Moreover,  it  could  not  have  pointed  out  the  exact 
house  which  was  the  abode  of  the  infant  Jesus,  for  it 
naturally  would  have  receded  as  they  advanced,  and 
scarcely  could  have  indicated  the  town,  much  less  the 
particular  house.  Furthermore,  the  appearance  of  any 
heavenly  orb,  sufficient  to  attract  and  guide  these  Wise 
Men,  surely  would  have  awakened  the  attention  of 
others  among  the  astrologers  of  the  East.  But  we  do 
not  learn  from  heathen  traditions  or  writings,  that  at 
the  period  referred  to,  any  such  celestial  phenomenon 
attracted  the  attention  of  oriental  sages,  while,  as  cer¬ 
tainly,  the  Jews,  although  prepared  by  the  Messianic 
prophecies  and  in  a  state  of  expectancy,  were  not  aware 
of  any  unusual  appearance  in  the  heavens.  We  are 
2 


i8 


THE  THREE  HOLY  KINGS. 


therefore  inclined  to  the  view,  that  just  as  God  led  the 
children  of  Israel  through  the  desert  by  a  “  pillar  of 
fire,”  so  he  led  these  faithful  travellers  by  some  lumi¬ 
nous  appearance  resting  in  our  own  atmosphere,  and 
visible  only  to  those  for  whose  benefit  it  was  created. 
The  calling  of  these  Wise  Men  being  miraculous,  why 
not  also  other  events  connected  with  their  journey,  es¬ 
pecially  as  only  such  an  appearance  as  we  suggest 
could  have  actually  guided  the  pilgrims  to  the  humble 
abode  at  Bethlehem  ?  This  explanation  avoids  the 
difficulty  that  the  attention  of  the  world  would  have 
been  attracted  by  a  more  general  appearance  of  the 
star. 

Having  now  considered  the  questions  suggested  by 
the  story,  we  cannot  refrain  from  noticing  some  of 
the  various  methods  employed  by  art  to  portray  the 
sublime  and  picturesque  subject  of  the  journey,  and 
adoration  of  these  Eastern  sages.  In  these  efforts  of 
art  we  find  suggestions  valuable  in  our  further  contem¬ 
plation  of  the  sacred  story.  Here  we  cannot  do  better 
than  quote  from  Mrs.  Jameson’s  “  Legends  of  the 
Madonna,”  a  book  as  instructive  as  charming.  In  this 
work  we  find  descriptions  by  a  true  lover  of  art,  of 
the  rarest  efforts  of  Masters  of  Painting,  to  reproduce 
upon  canvas  the  homage  of  the  Wise  Men.  Of  the 
adoration  of  the  Magi,  as  connected  with  art,  she  re¬ 
marks  :  — 

“  As  a  subject  it  is  one  of  the  most  ancient  in  the  whole  range  of 
Christian  Art.  Taken  in  the  early  religious  sense,  it  signified  the 
calling  of  the  Gentiles,  and  as  such  we  find  it  carved  in  bass-relief  on 


THE  THREE  HOLY  KINGS. 


19 


the  Christian  sarcophagi  of  the  third  and  fourth  centuries,  and  rep¬ 
resented  with  extreme  simplicity.  The  Virgin  mother  is  seated  on 
a  chair,  and  holds  the  infant  upright  on  her  knee  ;  the  Wise  Men,  al¬ 
ways  three  in  number,  and  all  alike,  approach  in  attitudes  of  adora¬ 
tion.  In  some  instances,  they  wear  Phrygian  caps,  and  their  camels’ 
heads  are  seen  behind  them,  serving  to  express  the  land  whence  they 
come,  the  land  of  the  East,  as  well  as  their  long  journey,  as  on  one 
of  the  sarcophagi  in  the  Christian  Museum  of  the  Vatican.  The  star 
in  these  antique  sculptures  is  generally  omitted,  but  in  one  or  two 
instances  it  stands  immediately  over  the  chair  of  the  Virgin.  The 
mosaic  in  the  Church  of  Santa  Maria  Maggiore  at  Rome  is  some¬ 
what  later  in  date  than  these  sarcophagi  (a.  d.  440),  and  the  repre¬ 
sentation  is  very  peculiar  and  interesting.  Here  the  child  is  seated 
alone  on  a  kind  of  square  pedestal,  with  his  hand  raised  in  benedic¬ 
tion  ;  behind  the  throne  stand  two  figures,  supposed  to  be  the  Virgin 
and  Joseph ;  on  each  side,  two  angels.  The  kings  approach, 
dressed  as  Roman  warriors,  with  helmets  on  their  heads.  In  the  le¬ 
gend  of  the  fourteenth  century,  the  kings  had  become  distinct  per¬ 
sonages,  under  the  names  of  Caspar  (or  Jasper),  Melchior,  and  Baltha¬ 
zar,  the  first  being  always  a  very  aged  man,  with  a  long  white  beard  ; 
the  second  a  middle-aged  man  ;  the  third  is  young,  and  frequently  he  is 
a  Moor  or  Negro,  to  express  the  King  of  Ethiopia  or  Nubia,  and  also 
to  indicate  that  when  the  Gentiles  were  called  to  salvation,  all  the  con¬ 
tinents  and  races  of  the  earth  of  whatever  complexion  were  included. 
In  the  old  legend  of  the  Three  Kings,  as  inserted  in  Wright’s 
‘Chester  Mysteries,’  Jasper,  or  Caspar,  is  King  of  Tarsus,  the  land 
of  merchants ;  he  makes  the  offering  of  gold.  Melchior,  the  King 
of  Arabia  and  Nubia,  offers  frankincense  ;  and  Balthazar,  King  of 
Saba,  ‘  the  land  of  spices  and  all  manner  of  precious  gums,’  offers 
myrrh.  It  is  very  usual  to  find,  in  the.  Adoration  of  the  Magi,  the 
angelic  announcement  to  the  shepherds  introduced  into  the  back¬ 
ground  ;  or  more  poetically,  the  Magi  approaching  on  one  side  and 
the  shepherds  on  the  other.  The  intention  is,  then,  to  express  a 
double  signification,  —  it  is  at  once  the  manifestation  to  the  Jews 
and  the  manifestation  to  the  Gentiles.  # 

“  The  traditions  of  the  Crusades  also  oame  in  aid,  and  hence  we 


20 


THE  THREE  HOL  Y  KINGS. 


have  the  plumed  and  jeweled  turbans,  the  armlets  and  thd  cimeters  ; 
and  in  the  later  pictures  even  umbrellas  and  elephants.  I  remember, 
in  an  old  Italian  print  of  this  subject,  a  pair  of  hunting  leopards  or 
chetas.  It  is  a  question  whether  Joseph  was  present  \  whether  he 
ought  to  have  been  present  In  one  of  the  early  legends,  it  is  as¬ 
serted  that  he  hid  himself,  and  would  not  appear  out  of  his  great 
humility,  and  because  it  should  not  be  supposed  that  he  arrogated 
any  relationship  to  the  divine  child.  But  this  version  of  the  scene 
is  quite  inconsistent  with  the  extreme  veneration  afterwards  paid  to 
Joseph  ;  and  in  later  times,  that  is,  from  the  fifteenth  century,  he  is 
seldom  omitted.  Sometimes  he  is  seen  behind  the  chair  of  the  Vir¬ 
gin,  leaning  on  his  stick  and  contemplating  the  scene  with  a  quiet 
admiration.  Sometimes  he  receives  the  gifts  offered  to  the  child, 
acting  the  part  of  a  treasurer  or  chamberlain.  In  a  picture  by  An¬ 
gelo,  one  of  the  Magi  grasps  his  hand,  as  if  in  congratulation.  In 
a  composition  by  Parmigiano,  one  of  the  Magi  embraces  him. 

“In  chapels  dedicated  to  the  Nativity,  or  the  Epiphany,  we  fre¬ 
quently  find  the  journey  of  the  Wise  Men  painted  round  the  walls. 
They  are  seen,  mounted  on  horseback,  or  on  camels,  with  a  long 
train  of  attendants ;  here  ascending  a  mountain,  there  crossing  a 
river ;  here  winding  through  a  defile,  there  emerging  from  a  forest ; 
while  the  miraculous  star  shines  above,  pointing  out  the  way. 
Sometimes  we  have  the  approach  of  the  Wise  Men  on  one  side  of 
the  chapel,  and  their  return  to  their  own  country  on  the  other. 

“  On  their  homeward  journey  they  are  in  some  few  instances  em¬ 
barking  in  a  ship.  This  occurs  in  a  fresco  by  Lorenzo  Costa,  and  in 
a  bass-relief  in  the  Cathedral  of  Amiens.  Before  I  quit  this  sub¬ 
ject,  one  of  the  most  interesting  in  the  whole  range  of  art,  I  must 
mention  a  picture  by  Giorgione  in  the  Belvidere  Gallery.  It  is  called 
in  German,  Die  Feldmasser  (The  Land  Surveyors),  and  sometimes 
styled  in  English  the  Geometricians,  or  the  Philosophers,  or  the  As¬ 
trologers.  It  represents  a  wild  rocky  landscape,  in  which  are  three 
men.  The  first,  very  aged,  in  an  oriental  costume,  with  a  long  gray 
beard,  stands  holding  in  his  hand  an  astronomical  table  ;  the  next,  a 
man  in  the  prime  of  life,  seems  listening  to  him  ;  the  third,  a  youth, 
seated,  and  looking  upwards,  holds  a  compass.  I  have  myself  no 


THE  THREE  HOL  Y  KINGS. 


21 


doubt  that  this  beautiful  picture  represents  the  ‘  Three  Wise  Men  of 
the  East,’  watching  on  the  Chaldean  hills  the  appearance  of  the  mi¬ 
raculous  star ;  and  that  the  light  breaking  in  the  far  horizon,  called 
in  the  German  description  the  rising  sun,  is  intended  to  express  the 
rising  of  the  Star  of  Jacob.” 

These  extracts,  and  particularly  the  latter,  lead  our 
thoughts  back  to  the  time  when  these  Magi,  whether 
from  some  watch-tower,  lofty  rock,  or  at  the  mouth  of 
a  hermit’s  cave,  discovered  the  first  faint  rays  of  the 
rising  star.  We  can  picture  to  ourselves  their  rapt 
attention,  as  they  gaze  upon  its  increasing  light,  until 
with  hearts  overwhelmed  with  its  significance,  they 
prostrate  themselves  before  its  brightening  glories, 
adoring  the  God  of  Heaven  for  His  gracious  favor,  and 
praying  to  be  guided  forthwith  to  the  Infant  Prince. 
Then  rising  from  the  ground  with  solemn  earnestness, 
they  prepare,  under  the  guidance  of  the  Spirit,  for 
their  eventful  journey.  Now,  they  are  upon  the  road, 
and  lo,  the  bright  vision  is  seen  taking  a  westward 
course,  while  they,  with  new  gratitude,  follow  its  celes¬ 
tial  guidance ! 

We  call  to  mind  a  copy  of  a  bass-relief  which  we 
have  seen,  representing  the  Three  Kings  upon  their 
journey.  First  comes  Gaspar,  King  of  Tharsis  or 
Persia,  bending  forward  upon  his  horse,  in  solemn 
thoughtfulness,  his  flowing  beard  sweeping  his  breast, 
against  which  he  presses  the  costly  treasure  which 
he  longs  to  offer  to  the  new-born  king.  Next,  curb¬ 
ing  his  fiery  charger,  rides  the  youthful  Ethiopian, 
Balthazar,  who,  with  face  upturned  towards  the  g low¬ 
ing  star,  shades  'Cvith  his  hand  his  dazzled  eyes  from 


22 


THE  THREE  HOLY  KINGS. 


its  piercing  beams.  Last  of  the  three  is  seen  Mel¬ 
chior, 'the  Arabian,  his  mantle  loosely  bound  about 
his  head,  and  falling  in  graceful  folds  from  his  shoul¬ 
ders,  while  the  solemn  earnestness  of  his  counte¬ 
nance  and  his  clasped  hands  betoken  the  fervor  of  his 
devotion. 

If  the  early  Church  is  correct,  and  from  different 
countries  they  commenced  their  journey,  how  start¬ 
ling  and  yet  how  confirming  to  their  faith,  the  hour 
that  united  their  pilgrimage. 

No  time  lost  in  courtly  introductions  or  needless 
explanation,  each  would  point  with  reverent  emotion 
to  the  shining  star,  and  thus,  as  in  a  moment,  it  would 
be  understood  that  one  cherished  purpose  animated 
their  footsteps. 

Now,  attended  by  a  princely  retinue,  they  come 
within  sight  of  the  shining  walls  of  Jerusalem.  What 
emotions  stir  their  bosoms  as  they  gaze  upon  the 
holy  city.  Weary  months  have  been  spent  in  cross¬ 
ing  trackless  deserts,  wandering  through  tangled  for¬ 
ests,  climbing  rugged  mountains,  or  fording  swollen 
rivers ;  but  all  this  is  past,  and  their  goal  well-nigh 
reached. 

They  enter  the  broad  gates  of  the  city,  and  full  of 
the  deep  import  of  their  mission,  ask  at  once  for  the 
Royal  Palace.  The  proud  Herod  gladly  gives  the 
noble  strangers  audience  ;  but  when  they  enter,  and 
as  if  regardless  of  his  crown  and  sceptre,  put  their 
question,  “  Where  is  he  that  is  born  King  of  the 
Jews?  ”  his  haughty  visage  pales,  and  his  heart  grows 


% 


THE  THREE  HOL  Y  KINGS. 


23 


faint,  for  he  knows  it  is  not  he  whom  they  seek.  A 
fearful  weight  of  crime  oppresses  him,  and  he  hears 
the  long-stifled  voice  of  conscience  warning  him,  that 
just  retribution  awaits  his  guilty  soul.  The  affrighted 
monarch  asks  for  time,  and,  as  the  royal  ambassadors 
withdraw,  he  summons  the  Sanhedrim,  composed  of 
the  chief  of  the  Jewish  priests  and  scribes.  At  his 
bidding,  the  council  hastily  convenes,  and  the  King 
asks  the  question,  “  Where  is  Christ  to  be  born  ?  ” 
They  answer,  in  Bethlehem  of  Judea,  for  thus  it  is 
written  by  the  prophet :  “  And  thou,  Bethlehem,  in 
the  land  of  Judea,  art  not  the  least  among  the  princes 
of  Judea,  for  out  of  thee  shall  come  a  Governor, 
that  shall  rule  my  people  Israel.”  He  asks  no  more, 
but  as  we  are  told,  calling  privily  the  Wise  Men,  in¬ 
quires  diligently  “  at  what  time  the  star  appeared.” 
Upon  hearing  their  response,  his  passions  struggle 
for  the  mastery,  and  the  tempter  whispers,  “  It  is  not 
too  late  to  crush,  even  in  his  cradle,  this  would-be 
monarch.”  Herod  obeys  the  evil  spirit,  and,  with 
crafty  counsel,  dismisses  the  travellers,  with  the  com¬ 
mand,  “  Go  and  search  diligently  for  the  child,  and, 
when  ye  have  found  him,  bring  me  word  again,  that  I 
may  come  and  worship  him  also.” 

Obedient  to  the  royal  words,  the  sages  leave  the 
palace,  and  hasten  to  seek  the  road  to  Bethlehem. 
Lo !  as  they  pass  the  city  gates,  again  they  see  their 
guiding  star. 

Well  can  we  understand  the  exceeding  joy  that,  the 
story  tells  us,  filled  their  hearts  when  seeing  those 


24 


THE  THREE  HOL  Y  KINGS. 


bright  rays  pointing  southward.  God,  who  had  pros¬ 
pered  them  thus  far  upon  their  journey,  was  still  their 
Protector,  and  the  “  Angel  of  his  presence  ”  continued 
to  go  before  them  as  their  guide. 

They  had  but  six  short  miles  to  pass  and  they  stood 
before  Bethlehem  —  Bethlehem,  the  birthplace  of  the 
Psalmist  King ;  Bethlehem,  fragrant  with  the  mem¬ 
ories  of  the  dying  Rachel,  the  widowed  Naomi,  and 
the  faithful  Ruth. 

And  now  the  star  descended,  and  they  saw  it  rest¬ 
ing  over  a  humble  dwelling.  They  hastened  thither, 
and  when  they  saw  the  child  and  Mary  his  mother, 
they  fell  down  and  worshipped  Him. 

How  grand  the  simplicity  of  the  story  !  The  Prince 
of  Peace  pillowed  upon  the  bosom  of  a  lowly  virgin  ! 
He  who  was  to  rule  the  nations,  the  helpless  object 
of  a  mother’s  tender  care  !  His  palace,  a  stable  ;  his 
throne,  a  manger  !  And  how  sublime  the  faith  of 
these  kingly  men  !  They  doubted  not  that  this  little 
babe  was  the  Holy  One,  whom  they  had  hoped  and 
prayed  to  greet. 

With  heads  lowly  bended,  they  worshipped,  believ¬ 
ing  no  earthly  monarch  so  worthy  of  their  praise. 
Then,  opening  their  caskets,  they  humbly  offered  the 
rarest  gifts  which  the  lavish  East  could  afford :  Gold, 
in  honor  of  his  royal  power:  Frankincense,  whose 
fragrant  odors  exhaling  before  him  should  mingle  with 
the  praises  rendered  to  the  God  incarnate  :  Myfrh, 
appropriate  type  of  that  bitter  cup  of  his  passion, 
which  wrung  from  his  bleeding  heart  the  agonizing 


. 


* 


4 


. 


*  * 


* 


.’•-fe'-'i:-  ‘ 


* 


THE  THREE  HOL  Y  KINGS. 


25 


cry,  “  Father,  if  thou  be  willing,  remove  this  cup  from 
me :  ”  Myrrh,  emitting  the  same  precious  saving  influ¬ 
ence,  which  hereafter  should  lend  a  hallowed  fragrance 
to  the  tomb,  in  which  his  crucified  body  was  placed. 

Thus  fitting  were  these  offerings  to  be  laid  at  the 
feet  of  the  babe  of  Bethlehem,  of  him,  who  though  the 
heir  to  the  throne  of  David,  was  to  be  the  “  Man  of 
sorrows,”  who,  though  God  eternal,  came  as  the  Friend 
of  sinners  ;  and  who,  hereafter,  though  having  all  power 
in  heaven  and  earth,  should  agonize  in  the  garden,  en¬ 
dure  the  Roman  scourge,  wear  the  crown  of  thorns,  be 
mocked  and  spit  upon,  and  led  away  to  be  crucified. 

Here,  excepting  the  simple  announcement,  “  That, 
warned  by  God,  the  Wise  Men  departed  to  their  own 
country  by  another  way,  the  inspired  record  ends. 

Blit  though  we  leave  the  story,  may  its  lessons  of 
simple  faith  and  earnest  devotion  remain  engraven 
upon  our  hearts. 

These  Wise  Men  endured  such  trial  of  their  faith, 
as  but  few  have  ever  undergone.  Called  to  their  pil¬ 
grimage  through  visions  of  the  night,  or  it  may  be, 
only  by  the  promptings  of  their  devout  hearts, — un¬ 
dertaking  a  journey  whose  privations,  perils,  and  un¬ 
certainties  could  be  well  imagined,  - —  trusting  to  a 
star  for  guidance,  whose  fickle  light,  perchance,  at 
any  moment  might  be  lost,  —  reaching  the  royal  city 
of  Judea,  to  find  the  reigning  monarch  ignorant  of 
the  new-born  Prince  for  whom  they  inquired,  —  set¬ 
ting  forth  anew,  their  confidence  unabated,  though 
directed  to  an  inferior  town,  —  the  object  of  their 


26 


THE  THREE  HOLY  KINGS. 


search  when  gained,  proving  only  a  babe,  surrounded 
by  tokens  of  poverty,  rather  than  those  of  regal  dig¬ 
nity,  —  yet  their  faith  seems  to  have  strengthened, 
the  nearer  they  approached  the  manger  of  Bethle¬ 
hem,  as  if  quickened  by  the  holy  influence  of  the 
infant  cradled  there. 

No  such  test  of  faith  is  demanded  of  us.  The  veil 
is  lifted,  and  clearer  than  the  sun  in  its  noontide 
brightness,  appears  the  full  significance  of  the  Re¬ 
deemer’s  completed  work.  We  are  not  directed  to  the 
humble  inn  of  Bethlehem,  but  to  Calvary,  where,  on 
that  middle  cross,  while  the  heavens  were  darkened, 
and  all  nature  convulsed,  for  us  and  for  our  sins,  the 
Saviour  bowed  his  head  and  died. 

And  yet,  if  this  were  all,  and  that  rocky  tomb  had 
forever  held  our  blessed  Lord,  our  faith  might  falter 
and  our  hope  fail ;  but,  as  we  hasten  thither,  with  the 
faithful  ones  in  the  early  morn  of  the  first  Lord’s  day 
we  find  the  seal  broken,  the  guard  dispersed,  the  door 
unbarred,  and  Him  whom  we  seek,  no  longer  there. 

His  humiliation  is  past.  He  has  come  forth  con¬ 
queror  over  death  and  the  grave.  His  glorified  body 
is  assumed,  and  with  majestic  mien  and  royal  grace, 
he  ascends  from  earth,  while  anew  the  heavenly  arches 
resound  with  the  angelic  chorus  :  — 

“  (©lor#  to  <®otr  tn  tf)e  Tjtgfjetft, 

&ntr  on  eartf)  peace,  gootr-forin  totoartr  men.” 


APPENDIX. 


The  following  extract  from  an  article  on  the  “  Ca¬ 
thedral  of  Cologne,”  in  the  “  London  Quarterly  Re¬ 
view,”  Vol.  lxxviii.,  embodies  the  substance  of  a  series 
of  quaint  legends  collected  by  Johannes  Von  Hildes- 
heim  in  1375,  printed  in  1480,  and  republished  in  1842 
for  the  benefit  of  the  Cathedral. 

It  affords  curious  illustration  of  the  legendary  be¬ 
liefs  concerning  our  subject,  which  were  so  prevalent 
in  the  earlier  periods  of  the  Church : — 

“The  prophecy  that  a  star  should  rise  in  Jacob,  having  pro¬ 
ceeded  from  a  heathen  prophet,  the  heathens  themselves  became  in¬ 
terested  in  its  fulfillment :  and  watch  was  kept  from  a  tower  on  a 
high  hill  in  India  where  twelve  astrologers  observed  the  heavens 
night  and  day.  When  the  time  was  come,  a  brilliant  star  was  seen 
to  rise  in  the  east,  which  shed  a  light  all  over  the  land,  and  was  as 
bright  as  the  sun.  And  the  star  bore  within  it  the  figure  of  a  little 
child,  and  the  sign  of  the  cross,  and  a  voice  came  from  it  saying, 
‘To-day  is  there  born  a  king  in  Judea.’  And  this  star  was  seen 
over  all  India,  and  the  people  rejoiced,  and  no  one  doubted  that  it 
was  the  same  of  which  Balaam  had  prophesied.  India  included 
three  regions,  —  each  separated  from  the  other  by  high  mountains. 
One  of  these  was  Arabia,  the  soil  of  which  is  quite  red  with  the 
quantity  of  gold  it  contains,  and  here  Melchior  was  king.  The 
second  was  Godolia,  of  which  part  is  called  Saba,  where  frankin¬ 
cense  is  so  abundant  that  it  flows  out  of  the  trees,  and  Balthazar 


28 


APPENDIX. 


ruled  there.  And  the  third,  India,  contained  the  kingdom  of 
Tharsis,  where  myrrh  hangs  so  plentifully  on  the  bushes  that  as 
you  walk  along  it  sticks  to  your  clothes,  and  here  Caspar  reigned. 
But  as  they  were  best  known  by  the  gifts  they  brought,  the  Script¬ 
ures  only  mention  them  as  the  kings  of  Tharsis,  Arabia,  and  Saba. 

“  Now  each  of  the  kings  saw  the  star  and  determined  to  follow  it, 
but  no  one  of  the  three  knew  any  thing  of  his  neighbor’s  intentions. 
So  each  set  off  with  a  numerous  retinue,  and  the  whole  way,  though 
beset  with  mountains  and  rivers,  was  equally  dry  and  level  to  them, 
and  they  neither  ate  nor  drank,  nor  rested  nor  slept,  neither  they 
nor  their  servants,  nor  their  horses  nor  their  cattle,  but  followed  the 
star  without  ceasing.  In  this  manner  the  whole  journey  only  oc¬ 
cupied  them  thirteen  days,  though  it  took  them  two  years  to  return. 
*  And  whoever  doubts  this  let  them  read,’  says  the  little  book,  *  in 
the  prophet  Daniel,  where  Habbakuk  was  taken  by  the  hair  of  his 
head,  and  transported  from  Jerusalem  to  Babylon  in  one  hour.’  (Bel 
and  the  Dragon,  ver.  36.)  ' 

“  But  when  they  were  come  within  two  miles  of  Jerusalem,  the  star 
disappeared,  and  a  heavy  fog  arose,  and  each  party  halted.  Melchior, 
as  it  fell  out,  taking  his  stand  on  Mount  Calvary,  Balthazar  on  the 
Mount  of  Olives,  and  Caspar  just  between  them,  and  when  the  fog 
cleared  away,  each  was  astonished  to  see  two  other  great  companies 
besides  his  own,  and  then  the  kings  first  discovered  that  all  had 
come  upon  the  same  errand,  and  they  embraced  with  great  joy,  and 
rode  together  into  Jerusalem.  There  the  crowd  of  their  united 
trains  was  so  great,  that  they  looked  like  an  army  come  to  besiege 
the  city,  and  Herod  and  all  Jerusalem  were  troubled. 

“  And  the  strangers  inquired  for  Him  that  was  born  King  of  the 
Jews,  whose  star  they  had  seen  in  the  east,  and  were  directed,  as 
the  Scriptures  relate,  to  Bethlehem.  And  the  star  again  went  before 
them,  and  stood  over  a  miserable  hut.  In  this  hut  lay  the  infant 
Jesus,  now  thirteen  days  old,  with  his  mother  Mary,  who  was  stout 
in  figure,  and  brown  in  face,  and  had  on  an  old  blue  robe.  But  the 
kings  were  splendidly  attired,  and  had  brought  great  treasures  with 
them,  for  it  must  be  known  that  all  that  Alexander  the  Great  left  at 
his  death,  and  all  that  the  Queen  of  Sheba  gave  to  King  Solomon, 


APPENDIX. 


29 


and  all  that  Solomon  collected  for  the  Temple,  had  descended  to 
the  Three  Kings  from  their  ancestors  who  had  pillaged  the  Temple 
of  Jerusalem,  and  all  this  they  had  now  brought  with  them.  But 
when  they  entered  this  miserable  hut,  it  was  filled  with  such  an  ex¬ 
ceeding  light,  that  for  fear  and  amazement  they  knew  not  what  they 
did  ;  and  they  each  offered  quickly  the  first  things  that  came  to 
their  hands  and  forgot  all  their  other  gifts. 

“  Melchior  offered  thirty  golden  pennies  ;  Balthazar  gave  frankin¬ 
cense,  and  Caspar  myrrh  ;  but  what  the  Virgin  said  to  them  they 
quite  forgot,  and  only  remembered  that  they  bowed  before  the  child, 
and  said,  1  Thanks  be  to  God.’  Each  of  the  gifts,  however,  had  a 
significant  history,  especially  the  thirty  pennies,  which  appear  to 
have  assisted  at  all  the  money  transactions  mentioned  in  the  Script¬ 
ures.  Having  been  originally  struck  by  Abraham’s  father,  they 
were  paid  by  Abraham  for  the  cave  of  Machpelah  ;  and  by  Potiphar 
for  Joseph  to  his  brethren  ;  and  by  Joseph’s  brethren  to  Joseph  for 
corn  in  Egypt ;  and  by  Joseph  to  one  queen  of  Sheba  for  ointment  to 
anoint  the  body  of  his  father  Jacob  ;  and  by  a  later  queen  of  Sheba 
to  Solomon,  whence,  as  we  have  seen,  they  came  into  the  hands  of 
Melchior,  who  now  offered  them  at  Bethlehem. 

“  Nor  does  their  history  end  here,  for  as  the  holy  family  fled  into 
Egypt,  the  Virgin  tied  up  the  money  with  the  frankincense  and 
myrrh,  together  in  a  cloth,  and  dropped  it  by  the  way,  and  a  shep¬ 
herd  tending  his  flock  found  the  cloth,  and  kept  it  safe  till  the  time 
when  Jesus  was  performing  his  miracles  in  Judea.  Then  being  af¬ 
flicted  with  a  disease  he  came  to  Jerusalem,  and  Jesus  cured  him  ; 
and  the  shepherd  offered  him  the  cloth,  but  Jesus  knew  what  was  in 
it,  and  desired  him  to  offer  it  upon  the  altar.  There  the  Levite  who 
ministered,  burnt  the  frankincense  ;  and  of  part  of  the  myrrh  a  bit¬ 
ter  drink  was  made  which  they  gave  the  Saviour  on  the  Cross,  and 
the  remainder  Nicodemus  presented  for  his  burial ;  but  the  thirty 
pennies  were  made  over  to  Judas  for  betraying  Christ,  and  he  threw 
them  down  in  remorse  at  the  feet  of  the  high  priest,  whereupon  fif¬ 
teen  went  to  pay  the  soldiers  who  watched  by  the  tomb,  and  the 
other  fifteen  bought  a  field  to  bury  poor  pilgrims. 

“To  return  to  the  kings.  After  they  had  made  their  offerings  they 


30 


APPENDIX. 


ate  and  drank  and  lay  down  to  rest,  but  being  warned  against  Herod 
in  a  dream,  they  returned  to  their  own  country  by  the  regular  way, 
and  with  all  expedition  did  not  reach  it  for  two  years.  There  they 
told  all  the  people  what  they  had  seen,  and  the  wonders  God  had 
wrought,  and  everywhere  upon  their  temples  the  people  erected  the 
image  of  a  star  with  the  child  and  cross  in  it.  And  it  came  to  pass 
that  St.  Thomas  the  Apostle  was  sent  to  preach  the  Word  in  India, 
and  when  he  saw  the  star  on  their  temples  he  was  astonished,  and 
asked  what  it  meant.  Then  the  heathen  priests  told  him  about  the 
three  kings,  and  how  they  had  journeyed  to  Bethlehem,  and  seen 
the  young  child  ;  at  which  St.  Thomas  rejoiced  exceedingly,  for  he 
had  heard  of  the  Magi,  as  they  were  called,  from  the  circumstance 
of  the  twelve  astrologers,  and  he  performed  so  many  miracles  that 
his  fame  filled  the  three  Indies. 

“  Now  the  three  kings  were  very  old  and  infirm,  but  hearing  of  St. 
Thomas  they  each  determined  to  see  him  ;  and  again,  as  it  so  hap¬ 
pened,  they  set  out  on  the  same  day,  and  without  knowing  each 
other’s  movements,  reached  St.  Thomas  at  the  same  time.  And 
first  St.  Thomas  baptized  them,  and  then  he  ordained  them  priests, 
for  the  little  book  adds,  ‘they  were  not  married  men,’  and  never 
had  been.  And  they  built  a  city,  and  lived  together  in  great  joy 
and  love  for  two  years  preaching  the  gospel.  Then  Melchior  died 
and  was  buried  in  a  costly  grave,  and  shortly  after  Balthazar  died 
also,  and  was  laid  in  the  same  place  ;  and  at  length  Caspar  gave  up 
the  ghost,  and  when  his  body  was  brought  to  be  buried  near  his 
companions,  Melchior  and  Balthazar,  who  lay  side  by  side,  moved 
asunder,  and  made  room  for  him  between  them.  And  many  were 
the  wonders  and  miracles  performed  at  the  tomb  ;  but  for  all  that, 
the  people  forsook  the  right  way,  and  fell  into  great  heresies,  and 
at  length  each  of  the  three  Indies  insisted  on  taking  the  body  of 
their  king  back  to  his  own  country. 

“  Now  came  the  happy  times  of  the  good  Emperor  Constantine  and 
his  mother  Helena,  who,  after  finding  the  true  cross  and  the  four 
nails,  and  the  cloth  in  which  the  child  had  lain,  and  the  old  blue 
robe  of  the  Virgin,  determined  on  finding  the  bodies  of  the  three 
kings  as  well.  For  this  she  travelled  expressly  to  India,  where  after 


APPENDIX. 


31 


much  difficulty,  especially  on  behalf  of  Caspar,  who  had  got  among 
a  sad  set  of  heretics,  she  succeeded  in  obtaining  all  three,  and  when 
they  were  at  length  deposited  again  in  one  receptacle,  there  arose 
such  an  unspeakably  delightful  smell,  as  convinced  all  the  faithful 
not  only  of  the  identity  of  the  bodies,  but  of  their  exceeding  satis¬ 
faction  at  being  together  once  more.  By  Helena  they  were  taken  to 
Constantinople,  where  they  lay  for  some  time  in  great  honor,  at  the 
Church  of  St.  Sophia  ;  fell  into  discredit  in  the  times  of  Julian  the 
Apostate  ;  rose  again  into  favor  with  his  successor ;  and  were  ulti¬ 
mately  presented  to  Eustorgius,  Bishop  of  Milan,  a  Greek  by  birth, 
who  had  done  great  service  to  the  Greek  Church. 

“  From  Milan,  Barbarossa,  as  we  have  seen,  carried  them  off,  and 
gave  witness  both  of  his  own  devotion  to  the  Church  and  his  favor 
for  Cologne,  by  presenting  them  to  that  city,  where  they  first  lay  in 
the  old  Cathedral  of  the  Bishop  Hildebold,  and  now  lie  in  the  new 
one  founded  by  Conrad  of  Hochsteden,  where,  with  God’s  blessing, 
they  will  remain  until  the  day  of  judgment.  ‘  Therefore,’  the  little 
book  concludes,  ‘  Rejoice,  O  Cologne  !  City  rich  in  honors !  and 
thank  God  that  He  has  chosen  thee,  before  every  other  city  in  the 
world,  to  be  the  happy  shrine  of  the  Three  Holy  Kings.’  ” 


